Combination range and hot water heater



July 22, 1958 E. F. KENNElYl 2,844,704

COMBINATION .RANGE AND HOT WATER HEATER Filed Sept. l5, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 JNVENToR. EMME??- /'A/s/wvfoy 56.3 BY CW 50]/ Lw /c/ Ci 2 v 4free/VE Y E. F. KENNEDY COMBINATION RANGE AND HOT WATER HEATER July 22, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 15. 1955 oFF QOO MT5 LW, CWA

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CRO- PON m- Wl July 22, 1958 E. F. KENNEDY 2,844,704

COMBINATION RANGE AND HoT WATER HEATER Filed sept. 15, 1955 y :s sheets-sheet s JNVENToR. Enne-'rr /'A/smveoy BY #Mm/QW rmnng y United COMBNATIN RANGE AND HOT WATER HEATER Application September 15, 1953, Serial No. 380,316

1 Claim. (Cl.7 219-37) This invention relates to a combination electric range and electric lhot `water heating device or appliance, and more particularly, to the structural parts of the range, including a method of assembling the tank in the range, and provisions for a readily accessible switch panel and a method of installing a hot water heating device in the range. The electrical features of the device are disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,692,936, issued October 26, 1954.

yIn mounting hot water tanks in electric ranges it is desirable that the tank water pipes be connected to Ithe range in such manner that they may be readily connected to the service line. After such electric range and hot water heater is installed against a kitchen wall and it becomes necessary to adjust or replace some of the top heating element switches and circuits, the range must be moved away `from the wall a sufficient distance to afford access to the black panel `where such parts are located. To do this, the pipes connecting the range to the service line must be disconnected to permit the range to be moved away `from the wall. The combined weight of the range and hot Water tank is such that the range is a very heavy object to move even when the water tank is empty. I

have discovered, that by connecting the Water pipes to the tank before installing it in the range the tank may be quickly and easily mounted in the range and connected to the service lines. Also, by providing a removable back panel on `the range onf which the various switches land cir-cuits'iare located, the panel may be lifted olf its engagement with the back of vthe range top and placed on the range top with the back side up, in .which position the circuits and switches yare accessible, the foregoing being accomplished without disconnecting the water lines from the service lines or moving the unit away from the wall.

Therefore yan object of this invention yis to provide a 4tank iassembly `which is quickly and easily connected to service lines and detached therefrom.

Another object is `to provide an assembly method permitting the ready installation of the tank in a conventional range on an assembly line production basis.

Another `object is to provide a readily removable switch panel, permitting ready access to switches and circuits without removing the range away from the wall or disconnecting the tank from the service lines.

Other objects are to provide a combined range and hot water heater which is attractive in appearance, is quickly and easily connected to and detached from service water lines, which is sturdy and reliable in operation and may be constructed at relatively low cost.

These and other objects will be apparent during the course of 'the following specifications.

In the drawings for-ming `a part of this specification:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of an illustrative embodiment of a combined electric range and water heater having parts broken away to show certain controls, and

yshowing back range Fig. 2 is an end View of range having parts broken away to show the tank;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view showing the means ior securing the back panel to the range top;

Fig. 4 corresponds to Fig. 3 and shows how the panel is removed from the range top;

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic View showing complete circuits for range and hot water heater;

lFig. 6 is a diagrammatic View of circuits and vswitches for top range units;

Fig. 7 shows tank assembled after being tested and before installation in the range;

Fig. 8 illustrates tank `after -it has been mounted in range with pipes mounted thereon;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view on line 9-9 of Fig. 8 showing removable end range panels, while Fig. l0 shows tank tilted during installation in a range to permit insertion of water pipes through opening in base plate.

In the drawings the numeral 12 refers to my combined electric range and hot water heater, the range formed of sheet steel includes a top wall 13, end wall '14 and 15, yback wall 16 and a bottom wa'll 17, the end walls 14 and 15 'being double and having an insulating material disposed therebetween, while the back wall 16 is a single sheet of steel. The range front is provided with four doors mounted on horizontal hinges, door 1S aifords access to the oven and broiler, door 19 alfords access to the storage compartment, while doors 2li and 21 afford access to the tank controls.

A switch panel 22 mounted at the back of the range 12 is shown in full lines in Fig. 1 in assembled position and is illustrated in its detached position in the dotted lines, ywhich allows convenient access to the switches and wires disposed on the rear wall thereof. As illustrated in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 a shoulder bolt 23 provided with a nut 24 at the vtop and a collar 25 is adapted to be drawn tightly against the range top as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. A sleeve '26, provided with a collar 27 and an adjusting nut 26a, is supported by the range top 13 and receives the shoulder bolt 23 to clamp the lower edge portion of the panel Z2 thereto as illustrated. To remove the panel 22 from its upright position at the back of the stove, the panel 22 is lifted out from its engagement with the sleeve 26 of the range, and then is placed along the back of the range top 13 `with the front panel side down, thereby permitting access to the switch mechanism and wires without moving the range 12 from its position against a wall.

The structural parts of the range are adapted to be assembled on a moving assembly line, and by the use of this invention, a metal hot water tank 28 may readily be installed on the range on such assembly line with all necessary water pipes installed so that the tank is mounted in the range in position to be connected to the service lines in the home. A metal hot water tank 28 of conventional construction which may conveniently be of 36 gallon capacity, and galvanized if desired, is adapted to be vertically mounted in the range 12. Such tank 28 is adapted to be installed in the right side wall 15 of the range 12 as viewed in Fig. l. It has been found to be advantageous to attach the hot and cold water pipes to the tank 23 before it is installed in the range 12, accordingly, a nipple 29 an ell 30, and nipple 31, provide a cold water line leading from ell 32 adapted to be secured to a water line while corresponding parts 29a, 39a, 31a and 32a provide a hot water line leading from the tank 28. These parts are shown in Figs. 2, 7, 8 and 10.

The bottom wall 17 of the range 12 is provided with a cutaway portion 33 shown in Fig. l0 through which the cold and hot water pipe lines project, while the back wall 16 is provided with a cutaway portion 34 through which such pipes extend for connection to the water service line.

In order to permit the tank 28 to be inserted in the range 12, the right end wall must be removed, providing it has previously been assembled to the range 12. This is accomplished by loosening the bolts (not shown herein) securing the right end wall 15 to the rear wall 16 and unhooking the front edge of the end wall from its engagement to the cooperating edge of the front wall as shown in Fig. 9. The range top 13 is disconnected from the top edge of the end wall 15. Then the tank 28 with hot and cold water lines attached is lifted onto the range bottom wall 17 with the hot and cold water service lines projecting through the cutaway portion 33 as shown in Fig. l0, and their outer ends projecting through the cutaway portion 34 of the back wall 16. In this position the ells 32 and 32a are in position to be connected to service pipe lines cold and hot water respectively, not shown herein. In some instances it may be conveniently arranged to install the tank 28 before end Wall 15 is assembled to the range 12. The assembly of the tank in the range 12 may be accomplished on an assembly line, the installing of the tank 28 being merely an additional assembly operation permitting the completed unit to be assembled and tested with all water line connections ready for connection to service lines. The method of assembly has resulted in saving of considerable assembly time which represents a substantial reduction in manufacturing costs.

An oven compartment 35 is provided with an oven heating unit 35 providing a 2500 watt rating and a broiler heating unit 37 having a rating of 3000 watts is suitably connected to a thermostat as hereinafter described. The top 13 of the range 12 is provided with 4 electric surface heating units indicated by the numerals 38, 39, 40 and 41 which are controlled by four range switches 38a, 39a, 40a and 41a respectively, each switch being provided with an off position and 7 heat positions. As the construction and operation of the four top burners is well known in the art the detailed operation for the circuits of each heating stage is omitted. The input ratings of the 2 left hand heating units 38 and 39 are 1250 watts each, the right front unit 40 is 2100 watts while the right f:

rear unit 41 is 1550 watts. A neon light 42 mounted on the back panel 22 below the range switch knobs serves a purpose hereinafter explained. If desired a conventional electric clock 43 may be mounted in the panel 22. A combination switch and thermostat 44 controls the oven and broiler heating units.

The two front panels 45 are provided in the water heater compartment to hold the insulation against the tank and are placed at an angle to allow the use of tools to remove the controls in case access to them is required for repair or replacement, the angular relation of the panels 45 is illustrated in the cutaway portion of Fig. 1. A bottom panel 46 joins the two panels 45 at the bottom thereof, the panels 45 being suitably secured to the front wall of the range 12. As illustrated in Fig. l the water heater controls are disposed on the outer tank wall between the two spaced inner margins of the panels 45. A temperature limit switch 47 located near the top of the tank 28 serves to cut out both tank thermostats described below when the tank reaches a certain predetermined high limit. Below the switch 47 is an upper tank thermostat 48 and below that is an upper tank heating element 49, then a lower tank thermostat 50, and below that a lower tank heating element 51.

C The tank thermostats 48 and 50 are connected in an interlocking circuit permitting either but not both to be on at the same time, depending on the temperature of the water. The tank heating elements 49 and 51 are held in place by locking bolts and the thermostats 48 and 50 and the limit switch 47 are held in place by spring mounting brackets mounted on heating element bolts in accordance with conventional practice in the art. A capacltor 52 of .l microfarad capacity is located between the temperature limit switch 47 and the upper tank thermostat 48, the purfgpse of this capacitor 52 being to furnish current to the neon light 42 during periods when the tank has reached its thermostatic setting and the thermostatic circuit has been disconnected. v

Electric current is supplied to the device through a three wire terminal block 53 on which is mounted 3 terminal wires 54a, 54b and 54C. These wires are connected to the top of the four range switches 38a, 39a, 40a and 41a and the combination switch and thermostat 44 on the back panel 22, the range switch being conveniently wired to its associated surface unit. The combination switch and thermostat 44 is connected to an oven heating unit 55 and a broiler heating unit 56 and controls the temperature therein. As shown in Fig. 1 each range switch is provided with an extra set of controls for controlling the tank circuit. Each of said extra set of controls for the switches 38a, 39a, 40a and 41a is Wired in series with the tank circuits, in such manner that when any of said four range switches is turned from its off position, the tank circuit is automatically opened and will not function, as each range switch is connected to a series circuit. The tank circuit is operated on 220 volts, one side of the 220 Volt line being connected directly to the temperature limit switch 47 and the other side of the line being connected through the series circuit consisting of the four range switches 38a, 39a, 40a and 41a back to the other side of the line.

Operation of the tank heating units and controls is conventional. Temperature limit switch 47 prevents the tank 28 from overheating. Upper tank thermostat 48 controls the upper heating elements and lower thermostat 50 controls the lower heating element 51, each heating element having a maximum input of 5000 watts and is wired in a limited demand circuit, which will allow either the upper or lower tank heating element to be on but not both at the same time. On the right side of panel 22 is located a small convenience outlet 57 for general utility purposes, such as an electric toaster or the like. This outlet is protected by a fuse 58 located on one of the panels 45.

Operation of the device is as follows: The contacts on the four range switches 38a, 39a, 40a and 41a are so arranged that in their oli position a series circuit is completed to the tank circuit illustrated in Fig. 5. When in this off position current flows through said four surface switches to the limit switch 47 and from there to the upper tank thermostat 48 or lower thermostat 50 to the tank heating elements.

If any of the said range switches is on the tank circuit is opened and no current ows to the tank circuit, the neon indicating light 42 is then automatically turned on. Actually the terminals of the neon light 42 are connected across one leg of the tank circuit, across said four range switches and one side of the temperature limit switch 47. When all said range switches are in the off position and the limit switch 47 is in the on position, the two lead wires of the neon light 42 are shunted. When the shunt is open, by turning on any of the four range switches, current ilows from one side of the line either the upper tank heating element 49 or lower element 51, depending on the temperature of the water, through the temperature limit switch 47 to the other side of the neon light 42, thus completing the circuit.

Normally when a range switch is opened the neon indicating light 42 would be on, providing the temperature of the water is such as to keep either tank thermostat in operating condition, allowing current to flow through the tank heating element. If the water in the tank has reached the operating temperature of the thermostat, the thermostat would automatically open and there would be no return circuit to the neon light 42 which would not function. The return circuit is then completed by the capacitor 52 which will pass sufficient current to operate the neon indicating light 42.

The disposition and arrangement of the circuits and controls in this embodiment of my inventon is such that overloading of the power line is prevented. If, for example, the four top surface heating units having a total input rating of 6150 watts were drawn on simultaneously with the broiler unit having an input rating of 3000 watts, and the tank heating element having a maximum input rating of 5000 watts, the total load on the line would amount to 14,150 watts, which would overload the line. By use of this invention the overloading of the line is prevented as the tank circuit is closed whenever any of the top burners are operating, thus the maximum line load possible with the use of this invention would occur when the broiler having an input of 3000 watts was added to a tank heating element with input of 5000` watts, totalling 8000 watts, which is considered a safe load for most power lines.

The temperature limit switch 47 is set to automatically open if the temperature of the tank water reaches 210 C. or any predetermined setting. When the limit switch 47 opens, there will be no return current for the neon bulb 42 even though the range switches are in oi position. Thus, when the neon bulb 42 fails to light immediately upon turning on any of the four range switches, it serves as an indication that the temperature limit switch 47 is open due to an excessively high tank temperature.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention herein disclosed may be variously changed, used or modified, without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing the advantages thereof, and that the present embodiment of the invention is illustrative only and my invention is not limited thereto.

I claim:

In a combination electric range and hot water heating appliance comprising a range cabinet including a top, end

walls, a front wall and a back wall, electric heating elements mounted on said top and electric switch mechanisms controlling the various heating stages of said elements, a hot water tank including heating elements and controls therefor mounted in said range cabinet, the improvement comprising a removable panel having an open back positioned at the back of said range at the top thereof, the switch mechanisms for said range heating elements being mounted in the rear of said panel, bolts secured to the bottom of said panel and projecting into cooperating apertures along the rear margin of said range top, whereby said panel may be lifted upwardly from its engagement with said range top and placed with its forward face against the range top whereby ready access is afforded through said open panel back to said switch mechanisms and associated parts, for the purposes described.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,225,572 Stein Dec. 17, 1940 2,453,832 Dodson Nov. 16, 1948 2,556,555 Reedy June 12, 1951 2,569,775 Pearce Oct. 2, 1951 2,635,600 Schulze Apr. 21, 1953 2,641,244 Maier June 9, 1953 2,649,531 Woodburn Aug. 18, 1953 2,762,594 Reeves Sept. 11, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 712,462 Great Britain July 21, 1954 

